Abstract

This study set out to assess the stress levels among the nurses, assess the personal and organisational factors that influence stress, and ways of coping with the stress among the nurses in Kampala hospitals. In all, 92 female nurses filled in a questionnaire (alpha = 0.82) that measured, sources of stress, and ways of coping with it. Stressors at the personal, organisational (immediate work environment, nature of job, poor human relations, poor welfare, and poor policies); and extra-organisational levels were identified under quantitative and qualitative procedures. Coping ways used by the nurses included praying, perseverance, discussing with co-workers, improvising and discussing with managers most of which were emotion focused. Recommendations included development of corporate policies to deal with the stress, coping-effectiveness training; job evaluation and redesign, human relations training for supervisors, retooling, developing of policies about salary and benefits, and sensitising the public about the nurses' jobs.